Three and easy! Constructors' champions again... but what is the driving force behind Red Bull Racing's unprecedented success?

Red Bull Racing secured their third consecutive constructors' title last Sunday after Sebastian Vettel finished behind race-winner Lewis Hamilton at the inaugural United States Grand Prix.

It is a staggering achievement. No other team in the history of the sport can claim to have won their first three titles on the spin. But Red Bull were not happy. Pleased? Yes. But ecstatic? No.

The team, which works out of a no-frills factory in the somewhat unglamorous surroundings of Milton Keynes, were desperate to see Vettel take a margin in excess of 25 points over rival Fernando Alonso to the season-ending race in Brazil on Sunday.

Three and easy: Red Bull Racing celebrated a hat-trick of constructors' titles in Austin last weekend

That would have guaranteed another world championship for the prolific German. But after Fernando Alonso fought back from eighth - which infamously became seventh on the grid - to complete the podium places, that didn't happen.

The team, also wanted to see both their drivers finish the race. But that didn't happen either after Mark Webber retired with an alternator failure whilst running third.

It really goes to show how far this outfit, which emerged from the ashes of Jaguar in 2005, has come.

They created history at the Circuit of The Americas last weekend yet they still yearned for more.

Out: Webber retired from last weekend's United States Grand Prix with an alternator failure

In just eight years, Red Bull Racing, owned by the Austrian tycoon Dietrich Mateschitz and spearhead by the genial Christian Horner and Adrain Newey, have now won just five fewer constructors' titles than the mighty McLaren - a team which has been competing in the sport for the best part of half-a-century.

With success however, comes tedium. You'll probably find that a large number of fans would rather that the Ferrari of Alonso upsets the odds and beat Vettel to the title in Interlagos this weekend.

This might appear like a smear on Red Bull and Vettel, but it isn't. It's rather the contrary; a backhanded compliment if you will.

Leading the way: Vettel hold a 13-point lead over Fernando Alonso heading into this weekend's final round

Flying high: Red Bull have now won only five fewer constructor's titles than McLaren

Ferrari, the most successful Formula One constructor of them all, is now, and has been for some time, the underdog to a team which is yet to complete one decade of grand prix racing.

'In many respects it is a fairytale story,' acknowledged team principal Horner. 'This is only our eighth season. This is our eighth car. What we have achieved in a short space of time is something which we are fiercely proud of.

'When you think of where we started in 2005, the team was perceived as a fun-going team which was happy to be here.

Up for the cup: Vettel celebrates his second-place finish in Texas which saw Red Bull crowned team winners

'But that was never our goal or ambition and particularly not the ambition of Dietrich Mateschitz, the founder of Red Bull Racing, and of course Red Bull.'

Red Bull have gone on to win 34 races since Vettel claimed the team's first triumph at the Chinese Grand Prix in 2009.

Over the same period, McLaren have won 18 races, while Ferrari have tasted success on just 10 occasions.

Champions (again): Red Bull became the first team to win their first three championships on the spin

But does Horner think Red Bull's
success, a team whose origins lie in the soft drinks market, riles
their esteemed car manufacturing rivals.

'When we won it for the first time
there was a degree of novelty to it because of circumstances and
regulations and so-on,' said Horner, who was speaking exclusively to Sportsmail.

'But when you consistently win and
achieve the success levels that we have over the last few years then it
probably does sit uncomfortably with some of the more established
teams.'

Asset: Horner has lauded the 'spirit, ethos, desire, and determination' of his colleagues at Red Bull

GAVIN WARDPerformance engineer on Webber's car

During the first couple of years at Red Bull there was
quite a bit of turmoil, but once we got Adrian [Newey] in charge things
started to settle down. We got the key people in place and since then
it's just grown and developed. That has been the key: good people and
keeping stability. Adrian is a great idea creator and a great motivator
in terms of pushing developments on the car. There are some pretty
amazing people back at the factory, too who will run through walls to
get stuff done.

A lot of people thought the changes in regulations
between last year and this year were not particularly in our favour and
to bounce back and find other ways in getting performance form the car
is very satisfying. I've spoken to people and they share the same
opinion. The most satisfying wins are usually after a string of being
beat and then getting back on top.

Our team puts in more hours than most
really, and looking at the parking lot at night is usually a pretty
good indicator of that.

OLE SCHACK No 2 race mechanic on Vettel's car

It is a great team to work for. We're different. We
are definitely different from a lot of other teams. We play music as
loud as we can go and we've got a great atmosphere between all the guys.

We spend more time with each other than we do with our family at home.
It is not only in the garage. We go back to the hotel together. You go
out for a meal together. You travel together, so you do get to know each
other extremely well. We don't need a bonding session at the end of the
year to make sure we're all okay.

It is extremely hard to stay on top.
It is the same as in football. If you win the title one year, the next
year that's forgotten. You've got to go out and defend it. It is probably
harder to stay on top the second year because everybody is after you.
You are the benchmark so you have to go out all guns blazing to defend
it.

And Seb is very down to earth guy. He has not changed a millimetre
since he won his first championship.

Clear vision: Red Bull have become the most-feared team on the grid just eight years after making their debut

In contrast to Red Bull, McLaren
haven't won a constructors' title since the turn of the century. So what
does Horner attribute to the driving force behind his team's success?

'Our people,' he says. 'They're our
biggest asset. We work out of a practical factory in Milton Keynes but
there is no bells and whistles there.

'It is about having a spirit, an
ethos, a desire, a determination and every member of the team has got
that. It is really down to them what we have achieved. There are so many
incidents of people going way beyond of what is expected.'

Horner added: 'The great thing about
Red Bull is you walk around the factory and there is a real buzz about
working for Red Bull and being part of a team and a great pride as well,
from the race team, the design team and the production.

The T-shirt says it all: Red Bull are constructors' champions for the third successive year

'We have got some fantastic members of our team, but if you don't work collectively you can't work effectively. What makes it even more rewarding is to know you have gone up against some fantastic opponents and come out on top.'

Vettel is the overwhelming favourite to follow the team's success by emerging on top of the pile once more this Sunday.

The 25-year-old, who holds a 13-point
lead over Alonso heading into the final round, knows that a
fourth-placed finish will see him join the likes of Ayrton Senna and Sir
Jackie Stewart with a hat-trick of titles and with it Formula One
immortality.

Not bad for a driver who represents a fizzy drinks company.

RED BULL RACING INTERNSHIP

Red Bull offered a unique experience this season as they open up the doors to five interns for one month this summer. Those who passed the online test and made it through to the next stage were then sent a blank sheet of paper and asked to demonstrate that they had what it takes to be a part of the Red Bull team.

The 7,737 who submitted applications were scaled down to the team’s top 50 who were invited to Red Bull’s factory in June. The shortlisted 50 faced questions from the respective department heads that tested their knowledge, understanding and passion to the limits.

The five talented interns that made it
through to take part in a months internship during August at the Red
Bull Racing Factory in Milton Keynes were:Ashley Grimshaw, Christopher McMullan, Jennifer Roswell, Luke Owen and Warren Harper.

'The response from this search was overwhelming,' said Horner. 'The applications we received were of a very high standard and it was brilliant to see that so many people had the desire to get involved with the sport. The interns that came on board fitted in really well and they can say that they played a part in building a championship-winning time.'